Pope’s visit is an honour

HE is head of the world’s largest church denomination boasting more than a billion followers.
He is also head of the tiniest state with a population of fewer than a thousand people.
His influence spans the globe and he sits among equals when he meets even leaders of super powers such as the United States and other prominent figures of the world.
When he wants to go and meet the faithful in any corner of the globe, his going there naturally is a State visit requiring both religious and secular heads on the ground to busy themselves in organising such a visit.
We refer obviously to the head of the Roman Catholic Church, known variously as pope, Bishop of Rome and Holy Father; the latter title, of course, being used mainly by the Catholic faithful of the world.
Vatican City is an ecclesiastical state ruled by the pope, who is the bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church.
The highest state functionaries are all Catholic clergy of various origins. The current pope has sent his emissary to Papua New Guinea to announce that Francis would be visiting in August this year.
No dates have been confirmed yet, as indicated by a news report coming from the Prime Minister’s Office after a visit there by the advance party several days ago.
It is going to be a State visit so the foreign minister and the protocol staff would be heavily involved alongside the local Vatican embassy or Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See plus the local church hierarchy.
For many believers interested in church history, the “end times” or eschatology, the Pope or the office of the Roman Catholic papacy has been a subject of wonder, much speculation and a liberal helping of conspiracy theories as well.
The non-Christian could be left wondering at best while Catholics and non-Catholics fight over interpretation of scripture perhaps unto the hour the prophesied events begin to unfold.
Perhaps only then will one yield and the other rejoice. That such theories are swirling around in the minds of Christians, even in this country, can hardly be denied.
The papacy is also a favourite sermon topic among certain street preachers here.
When Pope Francis visits in August, he would possibly be fully aware of the general attitude of non-Catholics towards his faith.
He would be aware that the generic Christian religion, far from being a uniting force, is also dividing people, even families who practice the various shades of the world faith.
His recent pronouncements on same-sex unions have been received with mixed feelings here and there, which require some prompt clarification by clergy to allay fears and speculation that the Pope would be endorsing something that is contrary to biblical teaching.
Perhaps during his time here, the Pope would be able to speak face to face with believers on such matters that are critical to individuals and families to allay any fear or speculation.
If Pope Francis can do that and, somehow, trigger greater tolerance, respect and unity among denominations here, that at least would be a worthwhile outcome of the visit.
Pope Francis is the first Jesuit to alight the seat of St Peter in March 2013.
He is the first from outside of Europe.
The ascension of the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina, signals the new world returning to the old to teach how the purely European brand of proselytisation has affected other cultures and peoples; and how the local cultures have adopted and adapted to the Gospel message and Catholic tradition.
He, more than any other, wants to modernise a church that is shrouded in ancient mystic rituals, papal dogma and modern intrigues.
He wants to unite the eastern liturgy with the west while, at the same, time give greater autonomy to individual ecclesiastical regions, even down to individual bishoprics or parishes to make decisions affecting matters of local import.
Francis gave PNG its first cardinal in Archbishop Sir John Ribat, giving PNG a place in Rome and a voting right to decide the next pope.
That is a grand honour and PNG, which is majority Catholic, is right proud of the honour and must do its level best to make the visit a memorable one.